Taxation Without Representation; The Collateral Damage of Crony Capitalism

We pay enough taxes and we have enough regulations (for the most part). Taxes and regs which serve to benefit big business over smaller businesses are particularly repugnant.

(From ATR)

The two main bills being pushed by the big box retailers this year are the Remote Transactions Parity Act (RPTA) and the Marketplace Fairness Act (MFA). In addition to the tax increases on consumers they both layer more regulatory burdens on small businesses and set a dangerous precedent for taxation without representation by extending collection duties and audit targets outside a state’s own borders.

Many state governors and their allies in the legislatures have made allies of the big box stores in their attempts to pass online sales tax. In working to feed the monster of big government, the alliance of the retailers and government officials is making exactly the point Carly Fiorina was trying to get across on Wednesday night: Big government benefits the powerful and well-connected…

…Should either online sales tax bill become law, online retailers will be faced with over 10,000 complicated tax codes, including 45 state sales taxes and local tax jurisdictions.